The present invention relates to collapsible three-dimensional displays such as Holiday decorations. In one embodied form, the unique decoration includes an internal metal frame formed, at least in part, from metal alloys imparted with suitable memory characteristics.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of this patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are metals that “remember” their original shapes. SMAs are useful for a wide variety of products owing to their ability to “change shape, stiffness, position, natural frequency, and other mechanical characteristics” in response to a change in an applied force such as temperature or pressure. The potential uses for SMAs have broadened the spectrum of many applications. The diverse applications for these metals have made them increasingly important and visible to the world.
SMAs may have different kinds of shape memory effect. The two most common memory effects are the one-way and two-way shape memory.
For instance, the SMA material can return to some previously defined shape or its original size when not subjected to compression can be said to have a one-way shape effect. That is, SMA can be physically deformed at some prescribed range of exerted mechanical force and, upon release of such compressive force, the SMA material will return to its original shape.
In the art of three dimensional displays it is known to have one or more collapsible elements incorporated into the display device for ease of storage as well as a means to capture viewer interest. Among such conventional displays and devices are the following disclosures which are hereby incorporated by this reference.
Meschs in U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,426 discloses a device including a container having a releasable cover, which is biased by a compressible elastic member when the releasable cover is in a closed position. A molded rubber sheath encapsulates the compressed elastic member, and the rubber sheath provides a three dimensional figure which is collapsible in the closed position for storage in the container and which recovers to the three dimensional figures when release from the container. A release mechanism is provided in operative relationship with the releasable cover to permit the three dimensional figure to be released by the compressible elastic member when triggered by the release mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,284,330 B1 to Hermanson discloses an expandable three-dimensional display device is provided with a cover and a support post at least partially disposed within the cover. The sliding member slidably moves along the support post such that the plurality of extension members can be extended generally radially away from the support post or retracted to collapse, and lie along and be generally parallel to the support post. A cover is supported by the extension members and is expanded and collapsed as the extension members extend and retract. This mechanism may be similar to a conventional umbrella. The cover may be configured to represent an easily recognized holiday figure such as, for example, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny or a snow man. Additionally, a light may be supported by the support post to illuminate the cover from within and render it visible after dark. The display device includes a mechanism associated with the cover and support post that is operable alternately to expand the cover to an enlarged configuration about the post to provide a three-dimensional display and collapse the covers to a collapsed configuration. A light is mounted within the cover to illuminate it. A portion of the display structure is formed to be mounted on the upper end of the support post which projects through the cover and additionally to be secured to the cover in order to provide the assembled display with further texture and interest.
Armstead in U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,123 discloses a pop-up artificial Christmas tree having an elongated trunk which is held vertical by a stand. The pop-up Christmas tree may be collapsed to a storage state when the guide sleeve is slid away from the lower-most stationary sleeve, the extension taken from the top, and the collapsed tree and extension taken from the top, and the collapsed tree and extension may be stored in a bag that also serves as an under-the-tree spread. From the storage stage, the pop-up artificial Christmas tree may be popped up again to the posture of a natural tree like one might pop up an umbrella.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,757 B2 to Wang discloses a formed lighting fixture having a frame, a plurality of bulbs, and a refracting layer, in which the frame is formed by gathering a plurality of rods and profiled in a specific contour, the bulbs are installed on the frame to serve as lighting ornaments, and the rod frame is coated with a refracting layer of a transparent material. A formed lighting fixture so constructed can offer a dazzling effect to thereby reduce bulb amount and facilitate production.
Gonzalez in U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,734 discloses an expansible ornament assembly comprising an expansible form having an open position and a closed position and constructed of a lightweight material such as tissue paper. When in the open position, the expansible ornament assembly is adapted to display a three dimensional object or another simulative representation such as a letter, phrase, or the like. The ornament assembly may be used in combination with a gift wrapping sheet which coordinates in some respect with the displayed three dimensional object.
While recognizing the desirability of collapsible design features in three dimensional displays and devices, these conventional structures have required relatively complex mechanisms to achieve such goal. Moreover, many of these structures provide only limited compactness when such display is stored and not in use.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art have recognized a significant need for collapsible three dimensional displays such as Seasonal Holiday decorations which may be conveniently reduced to a compact shape for shipment and storage without complicated construction. The present invention fulfills these needs.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.